Garfield County Schools & Education
Garfield County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
48/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
75.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
75.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$10,884
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
48/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#30
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Garfield County
Measured School Summary
Garfield County has midrange measured school signals (score: 48/100) with a graduation rate of 75.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Garfield County spends $10,884 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 13% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 8.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 17% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Garfield County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
8 public schools and 7 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
48/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #30 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
75.0%
8.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$10,884
$1,550 above the state average
School coverage
8
7 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Garfield County has 8 public schools across 7 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Garfield County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Garfield County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#30
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Jordan Elem
Elementary and middle visible
106 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Garfield County H S
High school only in this slice
55 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Cohagen Elem
Elementary school only in this slice
13 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Pine Grove Elem
Elementary school only in this slice
6 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Jordan Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 2 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Garfield County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Garfield County district systems?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Garfield County, Montana
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Small-Scale Education Infrastructure
Garfield County manages its 186 students across eight public schools, including six elementary, one middle, and one high school. This sparse network is overseen by seven different school districts, ensuring highly localized control in this vast region.
Evaluating Performance and Investment
The county's graduation rate stands at 75.0%, which is below the state average of 83.7% and the national mark of 87.0%. Despite the lower graduation rate, per-pupil expenditure is $10,884, significantly higher than the Montana state average of $9,334.
Spotlight on Jordan Elementary District
Jordan Elementary is the largest district in the county, serving 106 students across two schools. There are currently no charter schools in operation here, meaning all local students attend traditional public institutions.
Intimate Rural Learning Environments
Every school in Garfield County is classified as rural, with an exceptionally small average school size of only 23 students. Jordan Elementary School is the largest campus with 79 students, while Pine Grove School offers a tiny environment for just 6 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
8
in Garfield County
Reported Enrollment
186
8 schools reporting
School Districts
7
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
7 School Districts in Garfield County
Jordan Elem
Garfield County H S
Cohagen Elem
Pine Grove Elem
Sand Springs Elem
Ross Elem
Kester Elem
8 Public Schools in Garfield County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 8 of 8 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Elementary School | Record | Jordan Elem | Jordan, 59337Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 79 |
| Garfield Co Dist HS | Record | Garfield County H S | Jordan, 59337Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 55 |
| Jordan 7-8 | Record | Jordan Elem | Jordan, 59337Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 27 |
| Cohagen School | Record | Cohagen Elem | Cohagen, 59322Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 13 |
| Pine Grove School | Record | Pine Grove Elem | Brusett, 59318Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 6 |
| Sand Springs School | Record | Sand Springs Elem | Sand Springs, 59077Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 4 |
| Kester School | Record | Kester Elem | Jordan, 59337Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 1 |
| Ross School | Record | Ross Elem | Mosby, 59058Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 1 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,884
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Garfield County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Montana counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Montana?
How should I read the school score in Garfield County?
What is the graduation rate in Garfield County?
How much does Garfield County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Garfield County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Garfield County, Montana?
Garfield County manages its 186 students across eight public schools, including six elementary, one middle, and one high school. This sparse network is overseen by seven different school districts, ensuring highly localized control in this vast region.
How do schools in Garfield County perform academically?
The county's graduation rate stands at 75.0%, which is below the state average of 83.7% and the national mark of 87.0%. Despite the lower graduation rate, per-pupil expenditure is $10,884, significantly higher than the Montana state average of $9,334.
What are the major school districts in Garfield County, Montana?
Jordan Elementary is the largest district in the county, serving 106 students across two schools. There are currently no charter schools in operation here, meaning all local students attend traditional public institutions.
What is the school experience like in Garfield County?
Every school in Garfield County is classified as rural, with an exceptionally small average school size of only 23 students. Jordan Elementary School is the largest campus with 79 students, while Pine Grove School offers a tiny environment for just 6 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.